Action Limit Research Articles

Evaluation of the Results of Pesticide Residue Analysis in Food Sampled between 2017 and 2021

As mandated by the EU and the national risk management duties, pesticide residues were determined by four specialized laboratories in 9924 samples taken from 119 crops of economic importance in Hungary and imported foodstuffs during 2017–2021. The screening method applied covered 622 pesticide residues as defined for enforcement purposes. The limit of detection ranged between 0.002 and 0.008 mg/kg. The 1.0% violation rate concerning all commodities was lower than in the European Union. No residue was detectable in 45.9% of the samples. For detailed analyses, six commodities (apple, cherry, grape, nectarine/peach, sweet peppers, and strawberry) were selected as they were analyzed in over 195 samples and most frequently contained residues. Besides testing their conformity with national MRLs, applying 0.3 MRL action limits for pre-export control, we found that 73% of the sampled lots would be compliant with ≥90% probability based on a second independent sampling. Multiple residues (2–23) in one sample were detected in 36–50% of the tested lots. Considering the provisions of integrated pest management, and the major pests and diseases of selected crops, normally three to four and exceptionally, seven to nine active ingredients with different modes of action should suffice for their effective and economic protection within four weeks before harvest.

Исковая давность: анализ отдельных предложений по совершенствованию законодательства

The article analyzes the problem of legal regulation of the limitation on actions period in civil relations. In the science of civil law there are constantly conducted studies of such issues as the application of statute of limita-tions, the expiration of its term, the performance of duties by the subjects of civil law after that, as well as the restoration of the statute of limitations. This is due to the fact that the subjects of civil legal relations, in the course of their activities, are constantly faced with the terms under consideration and their application in prac-tice. At the same time issues in law enforcement arise. Necessity of systematic analysis of gaps and contradic-tions in the legal regulation of the institute of limitation of actions, as well as their systematization for improve-ment of legal regulation became the main determining factors in choosing the topic of scientific research.

Establishing quality control action limits for CT number accuracy in spectral images using an American College of Radiology phantom.

Computed tomography (CT) number accuracy is important for quality assurance in CT imaging. However, in dual-energy CT imaging, there are no widely used action limits for CT number accuracy in spectral images, information that is urgently needed. To establish action limits for spectral CT images using longitudinal spectral data and an American College of Radiology (ACR) phantom. An ACR accreditation phantom was scanned routinely as part of a quality control program in our institution. We selected and analyzed 57 continuous weekly scans. The CT numbers or the density values of conventional and spectral images, including virtual monoenergetic images (40, 50, 70, 120, and 200keV), iodine maps, calcium suppressed, and virtual non-contrast images, were measured in the four inserts (solid water, bone, polyethylene, and acrylic) of the phantom. Longitudinal data were analyzed for correlation using Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) and standard deviation (SD). The SD ratios between spectral images and conventional images were calculated and the action limits for spectral images were established based on the action limits from the ACR. Strong to very strong correlations (r>0.70 or r<-0.70) were found among most spectral image types except the 200keV images using solid water, polyethylene, and acrylic inserts (r=[-0.45, 0.64]). The SD ratio was highest for the 40keV images, ranging from 2.8 to 6.5. The action limits of the bone insert were baseline±5.3mg/mL for the iodine map and ranged from baseline±23.0 HU to baseline±391.9 HU for the other image types. The action limits for solid water ranged from baseline±4.1 HU to baseline±25.3 HU. The results for the polyethylene and the acrylic insert were close to those for solid water. Baselines can be established using the average of the initial 5∼10 measurements. Using longitudinal data, we estimated the action limits for CT number accuracy in the spectral images. This paves the way for establishing a comprehensive quality control program for spectral CT imaging.

Monitor unit verification for Varian TrueBeam VMAT plans using Monte Carlo calculations and phase space data.

To use the open-source Monte Carlo (MC) software calculations for TPS monitor unit verification of VMAT plans, delivered with the Varian TrueBeam linear accelerator, and compare the results with a commercial software product, following the guidelines set in AAPM Task Group 219. The TrueBeam is modeled in EGSnrc using the Varian-provided phase-space files. Thirteen VMAT TrueBeam treatment plans representing various anatomical regions were evaluated, comprising 37 treatment arcs. VMAT plans simulations were performed on a computing cluster, using 107 -109 particle histories per arc. Point dose differences at five reference points per arc were compared between Eclipse, MC, and the commercial software, MUCheck. MC simulation with 5×107 histories per arc offered good agreement with Eclipse and a reasonable average calculation time of 9-18 min per full plan. The average absolute difference was 3.0%, with only 22% of all points exceeding the 5% action limit. In contrast, the MUCheck average absolute difference was 8.4%, with 60% of points exceeding the 5% dose difference. Lung plans were particularly problematic for MUCheck, with an average absolute difference of approximately 16%. Our EGSnrc-based MC framework can be used for the MU verification of VMAT plans calculated for the Varian TrueBeam; furthermore, our phase space approach can be adapted to other treatment devices by using appropriate phase space files. The use of 5×107 histories consistently satisfied the 5% action limit across all plan types for the majority of points, performing significantly better than a commercial MU verification system, MUCheck. As faster processors and cloud computing facilities become even more widely available, this approach can be readily implemented in clinical settings.

Investigating water safety in multi-purpose buildings used as an elementary school and plumbing remediation effectiveness

Three buildings that were repurposed for use as an elementary school were shutdown for three months in response to the pandemic. Building cold and hot water quality was monitored before reopening to detect and resolve chemical and microbiological problems. The authors collected first draw pre-flush and post-flush water samples. First draw water samples did not contain detectable disinfectant residual, but nickel and lead sometimes exceeded the health-based action limits for cold water (max. 144 μg Ni/L, 3.4 μg Pb/L). Stagnant cold water at a bathroom sink (188 MPN/100 mL) and drinking water fountain (141.6 MPN/100 mL), in the same building, exceeded theL.pneumophilathresholds advised by the World Health Organization (WHO) (10 CFU/mL) and American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) (100 CFU/mL). Fixture flushing was conducted to remove cold and hot stagnant water and noL.pneumophilawas detected immediately after flushing. Two weeks after no subsequent building water use, chemical and microbiological contaminant levels were found to be similar to levels prior to flushing with one exception. The maximumL.pneumophilalevel (kitchen sink, hot water: 61.1 MPN/100 mL) was found in a different building than the prior maximum detections. No repeat positive locations forL.pneumophilawere found during the second visit, but new fixtures were positive the organism. When this study was conducted no evidence-based guidelines for plumbing recommissioning were available. A single plumbing flush reduced heavy metal andL.pneumophilalevels below WHO and AIHA thresholds in all three buildings. Additional work is needed to examine the role of building size, type and plumbing design on fixture water quality in shutdown buildings.

Standardising the biochemical confirmation of adult male hypogonadism: A joint position statement by the Society for Endocrinology and Association of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

Inter-assay variation between different immunoassays and different mass spectrometry methods hampers the biochemical confirmation of male hypogonadism. Furthermore, some laboratories utilise assay manufacturer reference ranges that do not necessarily mirror assay performance characteristics, with the lower limit of normality ranging from 4.9 nmol/L to 11 nmol/L. The quality of the normative data underlying commercial immunoassay reference ranges is uncertain. A working group reviewed published evidence and agreed upon standardised reporting guidance to augment total testosterone reports. Evidence-based guidance on appropriate blood sampling, clinical action limits, and other major factors likely to affect the interpretation of results are provided. This article aims to improve the quality of the interpretation of testosterone results by non-specialist clinicians. It also discusses approaches for assay harmonisation which have been successful in some but not all healthcare systems.

Standardising the biochemical confirmation of adult male hypogonadism; a joint position statement by the Society for Endocrinology and Association of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine.

Background: Inter-assay variation between different immunoassays and different mass spectrometry methods hampers the biochemical confirmation of male hypogonadism. Furthermore, some laboratories utilis eassay manufacturer reference ranges that do not necessarily mirror assay performance characteristics, with the lower limit of normality ranging from 4.9 nmol/L to 11 nmol/L. The quality of the normative data underlying commercial immunoassay reference ranges is uncertain.Design: A working group reviewed published evidence and agreed upon standardised reporting guidance to augment total testosterone reports. Results: Evidence-based guidance on appropriate blood sampling, clinical action limits, and other major factors likely to affect the interpretation of results are provided. Conclusions: This article aims to improve the quality of the interpretation of testosterone results by non-specialist clinicians. It also discusses approaches for assay harmonisation which have been successful in some but not all healthcare systems.

Forum on Eric Foner’s “The Causes of the American Civil War: Recent Interpretations and New Directions”

Forum on Eric Foner’s “The Causes of the American Civil War: Recent Interpretations and New Directions” Aaron Astor (bio), Judith Giesberg (bio), Kellie Carter Jackson (bio), Martha S. Jones (bio), Brian Matthew Jordan (bio), James Oakes (bio), Jason Phillips (bio), Angela M. Riotto (bio), Anne Sarah Rubin (bio), and Manisha Sinha (bio) There is something remarkably fresh about Eric Foner’s 1974 essay, “The Causes of the American Civil War: Recent Interpretations and New Directions.” At the crossroads of the new political history, social and labor history, modernization theory, and recent studies (including his own) of the ideologies of proslavery and antislavery thought, Foner synthesized disparate threads of 1970s scholarship into a coherent set of questions that remain relevant today. Foner was particularly interested in competing visions of modernization, as an ideological project as much as an economic one. After several years of productive scholarship over the Civil War’s causes, the debate has unfortunately re-ossified into the old set of distinctions between the “fundamentalists” and “revisionists,” with the former emphasizing deep structural differences between antebellum Northern and Southern society that led “inevitably” toward secession and civil war and the latter highlighting the contingencies of post–second party system 1850s politics. Moreover, as Frank Towers observed in 2011, the “collapse” of the modernization theory of the Civil War’s causes has led to several new directions that have yet to cohere into a new interpretive framework.1 Historians of nineteenth-century politics have posed a variety of ways through the morass. Perhaps most productive are those that have expanded notions of the “political” to incorporate the actions of those denied access to [End Page 60] the ballot in 1860, including women, African Americans (free and enslaved), recent immigrants, Indigenous peoples and those otherwise excluded from the voting process (such as young people). What emerges from these newer studies of late antebellum politics is a more robust understanding of social tensions preceding the Civil War and, more importantly, the manifestation of them as struggles over power. But there remains a question that has long animated more traditional political historians and that still requires attention by historians of the Civil War’s causes: how did ordinary Americans define the limits of legitimate political action? After all, the Civil War most immediately followed the refusal of several states to accept the legitimacy of a national presidential election. In a post-2020 election age where election denial has emerged as a recurring crisis, historians need to explore the question of legitimacy at the point where American mass democracy produced a civil war. Indeed, just as with contemporary attempts to delegitimize the votes of more marginalized elements of twenty-first-century America, the prospect of previously excluded people influencing the political course of the Union in the 1850s fueled a great deal of cultural panic, especially but not exclusively in the South. It mattered then (and now) who participated in politics and, just as importantly, how such political action altered Americans’ understanding of the Union. I would propose a different framework to assess late antebellum political tensions and the coming of the Civil War through the lens of constitutional democracy and its inherent contradictions. By constitutional, I mean more than the 1787 Federal Constitution or even the various state constitutions. I mean the broader set of structures, habits, laws, and procedures that constitute the basic workings of American democratic politics. In other words, how did Americans constitute a democratic polity—not only who was “allowed” to participate in democratic political action, but how were those boundaries shaped, enforced, and, at key moments, rejected? Consider, for example, the ethno-racial identities of, say, Cincinnati’s recently arriving German immigrant artisans who shifted partisan allegiances in a world where debates over slavery in the West superseded earlier questions of immigration, temperance, labor or railroad development. Or think of enslaved women in Tennessee who circulated news and rumors in the wake of the Harpers Ferry raid and fueled wider fears of insurrectionary networks stretching from the Upper to Lower South. Both groups operated on or outside the limits of the legitimate formal democratic polity. They, like so many others, understood the political meaning of their actions...

Detection of boldenone in the urine of female horses-ex vivo formation versus administration.

Boldenone is an anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) that is prohibited in equine sports. However, in certain situations, it is endogenous, potentially formed by the microbes in urine. An approach to the differentiation based on the detection of the biomarkers Δ1-progesterone, 20(S)-hydroxy-Δ1-progesterone and 20(S)-hydroxyprogesterone was assessed, and their concentrations were monitored in the urine of untreated female horses (n = 291) alongside boldenone, boldienone, testosterone and androstenedione. Using an ultra-sensitive analytical method, boldenone (256 ± 236 pg/mL, n = 290) and the biomarkers (Δ1-progesterone up to 57.6pg/mL, n = 8; 20(S)-hydroxy-Δ1-progesterone 85.3 ± 181 pg/mL, n = 130; 20(S)-hydroxyprogesterone 43.5 ± 92.1pg/mL, n = 158) were detected at low concentrations. The ex vivo production of Δ1-steroids was artificially induced following the storage of urine samples at room temperature for 7days in order to assess the concentrations and ratios of the monitored steroids. The administration of inappropriately stored feed source also resulted in an increase in 20(S)-hydroxy-Δ1-progesterone concentrations and the biomarker ratios. Using the results from different datasets, an approach to differentiation was developed. In situations where the presence of boldenone exceeds a proposed action limit of 5ng/mL, the presence of the biomarkers would be investigated. If Δ1-progesterone is above 50 pg/mL or if 20(S)-hydroxy-Δ1-progesterone is above 100 pg/mL with the ratio of 20(S)-hydroxy-Δ1-progesterone:20(S)-hydroxyprogesterone greater than 5:1, then this would indicate ex vivo transformation or consumption of altered feed rather than steroid administration. There remains a (small) possibility of a false negative result, but the model increases confidence that adverse analytical findings reported in female horses are caused by AAS administrations.

Safety Evaluation and Probabilistic Health Risk Assessment of Cow Milk Produced in Northern Italy According to Dioxins and PCBs Contamination Levels.

Contamination levels of dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were monitored over 2018-2021 in 214 bovine milk samples from farms located in two regions in northern Italy (Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna). The average concentrations of the sum of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs (0.78 ± 0.55 pg TEQ/g fat) and six non-dioxin-like PCBs (6.55 ± 2.24 ng/g fat) were largely below the maximum, and action limits established at European level, confirming a decreasing trend observed both locally and across Europe in recent years. The impact of contamination levels on chronic dietary exposure of the Italian population to dioxins and PCBs was found to be highly variable based on the type of cow milk (skimmed, semi-skimmed, or whole-fat milk) and the population age group considered. Indeed, a first-tier screening of the potential exposure via determinist methods allowed for the identification of the youngest population as the group with the worst risk profile. The refinement of exposure assessment via Monte Carlo probabilistic methods suggested that, at the less pessimistic middle-bound simulation scenario, infants, toddlers, and children consuming whole cow milk may be exposed to dioxins and PCBs levels above the toxicological reference values with a probability of 76, 56, and 22%, respectively.

Multicentric evaluation of a machine learning model to streamline the radiotherapy patient specific quality assurance process

PurposePatient-specific quality assurance (PSQA) is performed to ensure that modulated treatment plans can be delivered as intended, but constitutes a substantial workload that could slow down the radiotherapy process and delay the start of clinical treatments. In this study, we investigated a machine learning (ML) tree-based ensemble model to predict the gamma passing rate (GPR) for volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans. Materials and methods5622 VMAT plans from multiple treatment sites were selected from a database of Institution 1 and the ML model trained using 19 metrics. PSQA analyses were performed automatically using criteria 3%/1 mm (global normalization, absolute dose, 10% threshold) and 95% action limit. Model’s performance was evaluated on an out-of-sample test set of Institution 1 and on two independent sets of measurements collected at Institution 2 and Institution 3. Mean absolute error (MAE), as well as the model’s sensitivity and specificity, were computed. ResultsThe model obtained a MAE of 2.33%, 2.54% and 3.91% for the three Institutions, with a specificity of 0.90, 0.90 and 0.68, and a sensitivity of 0.61, 0.25, and 0.55, respectively. Small positive median values of the residuals (i.e., the difference between measurements and predictions) were observed for each Institution (0.95%, 1.66%, and 3.42%). Thus, the model’s predictions were, on average, close to the real values and provided a conservative estimation of the GPR. ConclusionsML models can be integrated into clinical practice to streamline the radiotherapy workflow, but they should be center-specific or thoroughly verified within centers before clinical use.

Monitoring Adenosine Triphosphate Concentrations in a Chloraminated Drinking Water Distribution System for Risk and Asset Management

Utilities rely on reliable and robust monitoring systems to inform decisions around asset operation and management in the drinking water distribution system (DWDS) to deliver high quality, biologically stable drinking water to consumers. However, traditional culture-based testing methods present challenges that make the timely detection of regrowth in the DWDS difficult. This study reports the results of an extensive adenosine triphosphate (ATP) monitoring campaign—a non-regulated parameter—in an urban, chloraminated drinking water system that analyzed over 5000 samples from two drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs), associated DWTP reservoirs, twelve outlying reservoirs and the DWDS between 2019–2022. ATP concentrations increased significantly between the two DWTP reservoirs and outlying reservoirs but decreased between the outlying reservoirs and DWDS samples. Relationships between ATP concentrations and other water quality variables varied depending on sampling location. Heterotrophic plate counts (HPC) were mainly non-detects (&lt;1 CFU/mL) providing limited operational guidance compared to ATP. ATP concentrations exhibited temporal and spatial variation but did not exceed the proposed 10 pg/mL corrective action limit suggested by the manufacturer. ATP concentrations were also able to inform outlying reservoir management decisions. Monitoring ATP could serve as a useful indicator of biological stability in the DWDS for the utility of the future.

Towards effective actions for the continuum limit of spin foams

Spin foams arise from a quantization of classical gravity expressed via the Plebanski action. Key open questions related to the continuum limit of spin foams are whether general relativity is reproduced and what type of corrections could emerge. As a central component for spin foam dynamics, recent results on the continuum limit of the Area Regge action suggest a close relation with actions for area metrics instead of a length metric. Inspired by these results, within the framework of modified Plebanski theory we construct a family of candidate actions for area metrics. These actions are expected to describe the continuum limit of spin foams and provide a starting point to explore phenomenological aspects of the large-scale dynamics of spin foams. More generally, they set the stage for exploring consequences of an enlargement of the configuration space for gravity from length to area metrics. The actions we construct lead to an effective action for the length metric, describing a non-local and ghost-free version of Einstein–Weyl gravity.

From spin foams to area metric dynamics to gravitons

Although spin foams arose as quantizations of the length metric degrees of freedom, the quantum configuration space is rather based on areas as more fundamental variables. This is also highlighted by the semi-classical limit of four-dimensional spin foam models, which is described by the Area Regge action. Despite its central importance to spin foams the dynamics encoded by the Area Regge action is only poorly understood, in particular in the continuum limit. We perform here a systematic investigation of the dynamics defined by the Area Regge action on a regular centrally subdivided hypercubical lattice. This choice of lattice avoids many problems of the non-subdivided hypercubical lattice, for which the Area Regge action is singular. The regularity of the lattice allows to extract the continuum limit and its corrections, order by order in the lattice constant. We show that, contrary to widespread expectations which arose from the so-called flatness problem of spin foams, the continuum limit of the Area Regge action does describe to leading order the same graviton dynamics as general relativity. The next-to-leading order correction to the effective action for the length metric is of second order in the lattice constant, and is given by a quadratic term in the Weyl curvature tensor. This correction can be understood to originate from an underlying dynamics of area metrics. This suggests that the continuum limit of spin foam dynamics does lead to massless gravitons, and that the leading order quantum corrections can be understood to emerge from a generalization of the configuration space from length to area metrics.

MP74-16 HOW DO TIKTOK USERS PRESENT THIRD LINE OAB THERAPIES TO THE PUBLIC?

You have accessJournal of UrologyCME1 Apr 2023MP74-16 HOW DO TIKTOK USERS PRESENT THIRD LINE OAB THERAPIES TO THE PUBLIC? Alexandra Tabakin, Sharon Choi, Arshia Sandozi, Kelli Aibel, Michael Weintraub, Harvey Winkler, Dara Shalom, Justina Tam, and Wai Lee Alexandra TabakinAlexandra Tabakin More articles by this author , Sharon ChoiSharon Choi More articles by this author , Arshia SandoziArshia Sandozi More articles by this author , Kelli AibelKelli Aibel More articles by this author , Michael WeintraubMichael Weintraub More articles by this author , Harvey WinklerHarvey Winkler More articles by this author , Dara ShalomDara Shalom More articles by this author , Justina TamJustina Tam More articles by this author , and Wai LeeWai Lee More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000003348.16AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: TikTok is a social media outlet with over 1 billion monthly users, but the quality and accuracy of its health-related videos is less known. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the quality of TikTok videos on overactive bladder (OAB) 3rd line therapies. METHODS: We abstracted the top 50 TikTok videos for each of these keywords: "axonics", "sacral neuromodulation","interstim", "PTNS", "posterior tibial nerve stimulation", and "bladder botox". Videos were included if they contained information about the therapy and excluded if they were non-English, did not contain information about the therapy, or were unavailable for viewing at time of scoring. Demographic information was compiled. Videos were scored for quality by 3 independent reviewers using the Medical Quality Video Evaluation Tool (MQ-VET), a validated tool for assessing medical videos. A composite score, ranging 15-75, was tallied from the mean scores. Two authors, both urologists, determined if videos had misinformation (MI). RESULTS: Of 300 videos screened, 119 videos met inclusion criteria. 21% were made by medical professionals (MPs). MP videos had more shares (5 vs 1, p<0.01) but were similar in length, views, likes, and comments. Although MP videos had significantly higher MQ-VET scores (43 vs 27, p<0.01), there was no difference in rate of MI between MP and non-MP videos. Videos with more shares (>1) correlated with higher MQ-VET score (34 vs 26, p<0.01), but the same pattern was not seen for higher likes, comments, or views. 18.4% of videos contained MI, which were 3 times longer (50.5 vs 15 sec, p<0.01) and had higher MQ-VET scores (34.5 vs 27, p=0.03) than those without MI (Table 1). Common themes of MI were related to therapy indication or mechanism of action and patient limitations after therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Most TikTok videos on OAB 3rd line therapies are poor quality and made by the public. About one-fifth of all TikTok videos on OAB 3rd line therapies contain MI. We found that videos with MI tend to be longer and, paradoxically, of higher quality than those without MI. While more frequently shared videos tend to be higher quality, that is not true for videos with more views, likes, and comments. MPs should be aware of MI permeating TikTok given its large audience. MPs on TikTok have credibility with the public and should ensure they are not posting, and inadvertently promoting, MI. Source of Funding: - © 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 209Issue Supplement 4April 2023Page: e1076 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2023 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Alexandra Tabakin More articles by this author Sharon Choi More articles by this author Arshia Sandozi More articles by this author Kelli Aibel More articles by this author Michael Weintraub More articles by this author Harvey Winkler More articles by this author Dara Shalom More articles by this author Justina Tam More articles by this author Wai Lee More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Novel Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method for Analysis of 102 Pesticides and Five Mycotoxins Regulated by the State of Colorado in Dried Hemp

A novel liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) method with a dual electrospray ionization (ESI) and atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) source was developed for analyzing 102 pesticides and five mycotoxins that are regulated by the state of Colorado in hemp. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) of the 102 pesticides and five mycotoxins met Colorado state action limit requirements for these analytes in a hemp matrix. For this study, 88 out of 102 pesticides and all five mycotoxins were analyzed using LC–MS/MS with an ESI source, whereas the remaining 14 pesticides were determined using LC–MS/MS with an APCI source. A simple, fast, green, and cheap acetonitrile solvent extraction method was used to extract the pesticides and mycotoxins from the hemp matrix with good extraction efficiency in the range of 80–120%. A hemp matrix is challenging and causes matrix effects such as ion suppression or enhancement. We optimized the LC method and added 30 internal standards to reduce and compensate for these matrix effects to obtain method accuracy in the range of 70–120%. The ionization mechanism of nonpolar pesticides (normally analyzed by gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry [GC–MS/MS]) with an APCI ion source was elucidated.

Beyond the pale: Fencing off parks for festivals

Pale is the Old English word for fence, and the phrase ‘to go beyond the pale’ means to stray beyond the limits of acceptable action. In this critical commentary I discuss whether the installation of temporary fencing in public parks to secure ticketed festivals is now beyond the pale. Fences restrict access but they also affect how park spaces are perceived, used and managed. I use photographs taken in three different London parks to illustrate the materiality of these temporary structures, but also their aesthetic impact, symbolic significance and lasting legacies. I argue that temporary fences have enduring effects on parks and public spaces by discouraging everyday use, by preparing the ground for future incursions, and by normalising and festivalising barriers that restrict access. My commentary highlights the often overlooked importance of fences and illustrates the splintered and sequestered nature of contemporary cities – where citizens are increasingly fenced off.

Duo-role Platelet-rich Plasma: temperature-induced fibrin gel and growth factors’ reservoir for microneedles to promote hair regrowth

IntroductionAlopecia concerns more than half our adult population. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has been applied in skin rejuvenation and hair loss treatment. However, the pain and bleeding during injection and the troublesome for fresh preparation of each action limit PRP’s in-depth applying dedication to clinics. ObjectivesWe report a temperature-sensitive PRP induced fibrin gel included in a detachable transdermal microneedle (MN) for hair growth. ResultsPRP gel interpenetrated with the photocrosslinkable gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) to realize sustained release of growth factors (GFs) and led to 14% growth in mechanical strength of a single microneedle whose strength reached 1.21 N which is sufficient to penetrate the stratum corneum. PRP-MNs’ release of VEGF, PDGF, and TGF-β were characterized and quantitatively around the hair follicles (HFs) for 4–6 days consecutively. PRP-MNs promoted hair regrowth in mice models. From transcriptome sequencing, PRP-MNs induced hair regrowth through angiogenesis and proliferation. The mechanical and TGF-β sensitive gene Ankrd1 was significantly upregulated by PRP-MNs treatment. ConclusionPRP-MNs show convenient, minimally invasive, painless, inexpensive manufacture, storable and sustained effects in boosting hair regeneration.

Study on the sensitivity of a volumetric modulated arc therapy plan verification equipment on multi-leaf collimator opening and closing errors and its gamma pass rate limit

To investigate the γ pass rate limit of plan verification equipment for volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plan verification and its sensitivity on the opening and closing errors of multi-leaf collimator (MLC), 50 cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma VMAT plan with clockwise and counterclockwise full arcs were randomly selected. Eight kinds of MLC opening and closing errors were introduced in 10 cases of them, and 80 plans with errors were generated. Firstly, the plan verification was conducted in the form of field-by-field measurement and true composite measurement. The γ analysis with the criteria of 3% dose difference, distance to agreement of 2 mm, 10% dose threshold, and absolute dose global normalized conditions were performed for these fields. Then gradient analysis was used to investigate the sensitivity of field-by-field measurement and true composite measurement on MLC opening and closing errors, and the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was used to investigate the optimal threshold of γ pass rate for identifying errors. Tolerance limits and action limits for γ pass rates were calculated using statistical process control (SPC) method for another 40 cases. The error identification ability using the tolerance limit calculated by SPC method and the universal tolerance limit (95%) were compared with using the optimal threshold of ROC. The results show that for the true composite measurement, the clockwise arc and the counterclockwise arc, the descent gradients of the γ passing rate with per millimeter MLC opening error are 10.61%, 7.62% and 6.66%, respectively, and the descent gradients with per millimeter MLC closing error are 9.75%, 7.36% and 6.37%, respectively. The optimal thresholds obtained by the ROC method are 99.35%, 97.95% and 98.25%, respectively, and the tolerance limits obtained by the SPC method are 98.98%, 97.74% and 98.62%, respectively. The tolerance limit calculated by SPC method is close to the optimal threshold of ROC, both of which could identify all errors of ±2 mm, while the universal tolerance limit can only partially identify them, indicating that the universal tolerance limit is not sensitive on some large errors. Therefore, considering the factors such as ease of use and accuracy, it is suggested to use the true composite measurement in clinical practice, and to formulate tolerance limits and action limits suitable for the actual process of the institution based on the SPC method. In conclusion, it is expected that the results of this study can provide some references for institutions to optimize the radiotherapy plan verification process, set appropriate pass rate limit, and promote the standardization of plan verification.

Public Support for Nutrition-Related Actions by Food Companies in Australia: A Cross-Sectional Analysis of Findings from the 2020 International Food Policy Study.

Unhealthy food environments contribute to unhealthy population diets. In Australia, the government currently relies on voluntary food company actions (e.g., related to front-of-pack labelling, restricting promotion of unhealthy foods, and product formulation) as part of their efforts to improve population diets, despite evidence that such voluntary approaches are less effective than mandatory policies. This study aimed to understand public perceptions of potential food industry nutrition-related actions in Australia. An online survey was completed by 4289 Australians in 2020 as part of the International Food Policy Study. The level of public support was assessed for six different nutrition-related actions related to food labelling, food promotion, and product formulation. High levels of support were observed for all six company actions, with the highest support observed for displaying the Health Star Rating on all products (80.4%) and restricting children's exposure to online promotion of unhealthy food (76.8%). Findings suggest the Australian public is strongly supportive of food companies taking action to improve nutrition and the healthiness of food environments. However, given the limitations of the voluntary action from food companies, mandatory policy action by the Australian government is likely to be needed to ensure company practices align with public expectations.